"Happy Christmas!" I greeted cheerily to my grandmother, getting the same greeting in return before moving on.
"Merry Christmas!" I next greeted my cousins, grinning widely and moving on to the next guests.
"Happy Christmas Eve." I spoke to my other set of grandparents, my grandfather pulling me in for a warm hug already smelling strongly of pipe smoke and whiskey.
I continued through the throngs of relatives, greeting the ones not deep in conversation with others and contemplating the more distant ones I did not immediately recognize. The house was warm and welcoming, a fire roaring in every room people occupied, the stoves running full blast to finish the Christmas Eve meal as quickly as possible. Warm, white lights decorated the house along with wreaths, ornaments, family heirlooms, and a modest but intricately decorated tree with presents already littering the base.
I returned to the kitchen to find my mother badgering the elves about the endless amount of food scattered about the counters, more still coming out of the many ovens. My godmother sat at the table trying in vain to get her best friend to sit down and breathe, telling her that everything was perfect and everyone was having fun, my mother having none of it.
I stifled a laugh as I sat down across from Andy, earning an eye roll and a look that said 'I tried.' I stifled another giggle, knowing it would push my mother over the edge should she hear, and turned to my childhood best friend beside me, Andromeda's daughter Nymphadora.
"Happy Christmas Dora." I smiled at the other girl shoving a miniature cupcake into her mouth much like a chipmunk.
"Iz nut Crismus yet." She bumbled around a mouthful of cupcake. I rolled my eyes and "accidentally" bumped her, nearly knocking her out of her chair and earning us both disapproving looks from Andy just as the other girl spun around to retaliate.
"You two still act like children to this day." Andromeda muttered, albeit amusedly, shaking her head at us.
"Well yeah. What's the fun in growing up?" Dora grinned at her mother, teeth full of sprinkles and coated in a sheen of yellow frosting.
"Kudos to that." My own mother breathed out stressfully, taking another plate over to the counter and shuffling things around to try and find a spot for it.
Christmas Eve dinner was a big affair in my family, the host varying each year and allowing us to travel and see different parts of the country and each of my family member's traditions along with relatives I may not see anytime else. This year it was my family's turn and we were just about ready for the main meal to begin, everyone already profoundly wine drunk and merry from mingling. Andromeda and Dora left the kitchen to find Ted, Andy muttering about finding her husband before he got too drunk on champagne trying to keep up with the other men, and leaving me alone with my mother and the poor overworked elves trying in vain to please her.
"What time are you meant to be at Malfoy Manor again?" She asked me, wiping flour coated hands on her apron.
"Like 10ish? Draco is supposed to text me when he's done with his own family stuff and they're ready to do our little Christmas thing." Since I wouldn't be able to visit my school best friend any other time over Winter break we had decided to do our little get together on Christmas Eve after we were both done with other commitments. They were lucky, only having to make a short appearance at both the Black's and Malfoy's respective parties while I just had to get through the meal at mine and would be free to escape.
"Perfect. It's what? Nearly 8 now? Is it really that late? Wow. We should be starting soon and you can just sneak off to the floo whenever you need to." I nodded at my mother's words, knowing that was already the plan.
It wasn't long after that the elves finished up the food and magically whisked the numerous dishes into the dining room. Every inch of the table was filled with a platter of something delicious, Turkey, ham, duck, chicken, and every vegetable I had ever seen in my life, including several I hadn't. Once the feast had concluded the elves would serve individual plates of dessert and I could feel my mouth watering as I took my seat at the table between my mother and Dora, both of our mothers wanting us within their sight lest there be another incident like 5 years ago when we "accidentally" released a niffler into the house and it stole everybody's watches, coins, and jewelry.
Everyone talked and laughed and reminisced as we filled our bellies with warm food and alcohol, even the older teenagers allowed a single glass of champagne in celebration of the holidays. Before I knew it dessert was done and the conversations were quieting, everyone stuffed and ready for a nap after eating their fill.
People began to disperse, some saying their goodbyes after already having been here since 3pm, others simply moving into another room to keep their conversations going. I hadn't been paying attention to the time and suddenly heard the floo flare in the other room, quickly glancing at my phone and seeing it was already 10:30 and I had about a dozen messages from Draco.
Hurrying into the living area expecting to find a very irritated ferret tapping his foot and making some comment about me being dead in a ditch, I was very surprised to find said ferret's mother instead. Narcissa was hovering in front of the fireplace with a look of complete and utter shock on her face, my gaze swiveling to see what she was looking at and sucking in a breath of my own.
I knew vaguely of what happened when Andromeda was disowned from House Black but had never asked for details as it so obviously upset my godmother. However, I did know she had not spoken to, or even told any of them where her new home was, so when I saw the two sisters face to face for the first time in over 20 years I swear it felt like time stood still.
I had never spoken of my affiliation with Andromeda to Draco's family nor had I mentioned being friends with him to Andy or Dora. It just seemed better that way. Now, Andy's new family all stared hard at her old, the youngest Black sister still gaping at them like a deer in the headlights.
My mother walked in behind me, also having heard the floo flare and wondering who could be this late, stopping dead in her tracks at the sight before her. The sound of her heels tapping on the floorboards finally pulled the others from their trance, everyone looking to us as we looked between them, no one having the right words for this situation.
"Uh.. Narcissa! How lovely to see you again. I wasn't expecting you." My mother finally spoke, stumbling over her words a bit as her eyes still flitted between her best friend and her youngest sister.
"Um, I apologize for the sudden intrusion." The other witch answered quietly, fluttering her eyelids as she tried to compose herself. "Draco was helping Lucius with a peacock problem and since y/n hadn't arrived yet I said I would fetch her."
The older witch turned to me with a tight lipped smile, mind obviously still elsewhere. I gave a short, curt nod and the same tiny hint of a smile as I slunk towards her, meeting both Andromeda's and my mother's eyes as I shifted my weight around nervously.
"Yes, well, have fun dear." My mother bid me an awkward goodbye and I muttered a quiet goodbye back, nodding towards my godmother and Dora before sliding backwards into the floo with Narcissa.
I saw the older woman throw one last glance back towards her middle sister, an expression in her eyes I couldn't quite grasp before she managed to steel herself again, muttering the password for the manor and clasping my hand just a little bit too tightly in her rather clammy one. In an instant we were off, flying through time and space in a single instant before landing in the floo room of Malfoy Manor with a 'whoosh'.
My entire body was tense with anticipation as the silence around us grew thicker, me waiting on Narcissa to say something and her trying to figure out what exactly to say at all. Draco and Lucius were nowhere to be seen, this room fairly unused and therefore a bit cold and dark and I was suddenly all too aware of leaving behind the warm, comforting feeling of home.
"So, uh, are you related to.. my sister?" Narcissa asked as we slowly walked towards the doorway leading out into the rest of the manor, her voice quivering on the last two words as she tried to work out if I was actually a distant relative of hers. I quickly shook my head no, knowing I would most likely be having this exact conversation with the other witch when I returned home.
"No. She's my godmother." I couldn't meet the older woman's eyes, afraid I would start rambling and I knew it was better if I only said what was absolutely necessary. Narcissa made a noise of understanding, obviously thinking as she lead me towards the main living area.
This room was much more festive with comfortable white lights, a massive tree with enchanted ornaments, and the smell of gingerbread cookies in the air. I grinned widely as I spotted my school best friend, forgetting for the moment the awkward position I had just been put in.
"Ayeeee y/l/n. Took you long enough." Draco called, a white mustache of hot coco foam on his upper lip. I took the other mug he offered me and sat down on the sofa, Lucius nursing a glass of whiskey in the armchair while Narcissa gingerly took a seat in the other one, a dazed expression on her face.
Draco and I exchanged gifts, gossiping and just having fun until well after midnight. The adults were more or less just listening to our inane teenage ramblings while nursing glasses of different alcoholic beverages.
Once it was time for me to return home I bid farewell to my friend before following Narcissa back into the floo room. She had clearly been deep in thought the entire time I had been here and I couldn't help but be just a little bit worried that she was going to ban me from seeing Draco now knowing I was affiliated with her disowned sister. The anxiety must have been written across my face because as the other witch finally took a good look at me her own expression softened a fraction of an inch, the smallest hint of a smile on her lips.
"It's alright love. You aren't in trouble I'm just processing all of this." She reassured me, running one hand down my back. "How is she? If you don't mind my asking."
"She's good. She's made a life for herself. As you probably saw she even has a daughter."
"Ah, yes. I figured that's who she was but I wasn't sure. I'm glad she's doing well." Narcissa sounded sincere in her words, albeit a bit sad, and I nodded with a tight lipped smile, feeling the awkward tension in the room.
"Go on. Merry Christmas y/n."
I returned the farewell before stepping back into the floo, calling out my destination and disappearing in a wall of green fire. Landing back in the much warmer living area of my own home I was somewhat surprised to find my godmother's family still here being as it was nearing 1am now.
As I stepped fully into the room the conversation immediately silenced, all of them waiting in anticipation for what I had to say. Andy was shifting her weight back and forth seemingly unconsciously, fidgeting about as if she wanted to speak to me but didn't have the nerve.
"How's Draco?" My mother finally asked simply to fill the silence.
"He's good. Just complained about family members and drank his weight in hot chocolate while I was there."
"That certainly sounds like Draco."
The awkward silence immediately returned, none of us quite sure how to proceed. Finally, Andromeda opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, but eventually asked the question I had been waiting on since I got here.
"Can we talk for a moment? Alone?"
I nodded, turning and walking into the kitchen and leaving my parents talking with Ted, a quiet murmur of undistinguished voices fading into the distance. I took a seat at the table, my godmother sitting down across from me and leaning forward on her elbows and I could see raw emotion in her dark eyes.
"Did she say anything? Do anything to you?" I blinked in surprise, somewhat startled that she would think Narcissa would harm me in any way.
"No. She just asked how you were. I really didn't say anything." Andromeda sighed at my words, allowing her shoulders to sag and her eyebrows to unfurrow.
"I just had to make sure. I never knew her to be cruel but after spending so many years with the Malfoy's.." she trailed off, lips pulled into a thin line.
"She's one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. At least if she allows you to see that side of her. I learned very quickly that's how all 3 of them are, even Lucius. Not gonna lie though, your other sister still scares me a little." That got a chuckle out of Andy, making me quirk one side of my own lips up in amusement.
"Yes I suspect she's still just as intense as when we were children. Are they both doing alright?"
"I don't see Bellatrix often but as far as I can tell, yes. Narcissa pretends to be happier than she is, at least that's what Draco told me. She does always seem kind of sad."
"I kind of figured that as well, just seeing them in the news and all. Well, thank you for telling me all of that y/n. I'm sorry you ended up in the middle of this." My godmother sighed, looking apologetic but at the same time almost grateful that she may have found a connection to her lost family.
"It alright, really, I probably should have said something to the both of you sooner so this didn't happen quite so suddenly. I'm sorry. It just never seemed like a good idea or the right time."
"It's perfectly ok. I just ask that you don't tell her too much as I'm sure she has or will ask you as well. At least not yet. Not until I see where this goes. And for the love of Merlin please don't let Bella find out about this." I let out a silent laugh, assuring her I wasn't that stupid.
The 3 left just after 1am, leaving me to relay the events of my very eventful night to my mother, putting her in the middle of this family feud as well so I didn't have to be alone. This could either go very well or very bad for all of us.
A/N: Just a little something for Christmas. Probably won't do anything more with this as it was just a random little daydream but happy Christmas Eve everyone!